The present invention relates to the construction of roads in extremely cold regions.
In regions of the world which are subject to severely cold climatic conditions, such as Alaska for example, the transportation of equipment and materials over snow-covered icy terrain, presents unique problems. For example, the transfer of materials and personnel engaged in oil/gas exploration or drilling operations may require that some sort of "road" or surface be formed which is capable of supporting the transport vehicles.
In such regions, the use of conventional road building materials and techniques is impractical. Accordingly, it has heretofore been the practice to form ice roads of frozen salt water. The salt water is pumped up from beneath the ice by means of an auger which cuts through the ice and transports the salt water upwardly and flows it onto the top of the terrain. There is no way to control the water, which seeks its own level and thus may extend 200 to 300 feet in width, in some cases, before freezing. Additional holes would be augered to extend the length of the ice "road".
Roads constructed in that manner exhibit serious drawbacks. For example, it is difficult to control the liquid to form desired road widths and depths. Moreover, since the road is formed atop areas from which salt water has been drawn, there may occur a tendency for the packed ice to sink as the salt water is removed. The salt concentration in the water is also a source of difficulty, because the presence of salt lengthens the freeze period and lowers the melting point. This hampers formation of the road and facilitates its deterioration. Machinery operating over the road is, of course, subject to the corrosive effects of the salt.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to minimize or obviate problems of the above-discussed type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and techniques for forming highly stable ice roads.
A further object of the invention is to enable ice roads to be formed of salt-free water.
An additional object of the invention is to enable ice roads to be formed of available surface snow and ice.